Improvement of soil fertility and rice yield after long-term application of cow manure combined with inorganic fertilizers

Fertilization is an effective technique to improve soil fertility and increase crop yield.The long-term effects of different fertilizers on soil considerably vary.Over 38 consecutive years of different fertilization positioning experiments in a double cropping rice field of Qiyang Red Soil Experimental Station,seven different fertilization treatments including CK(no fertilization),NPK(nitrogen,phosphorus,and potassium fertilizer),M(cow manure),NPKM(nitrogen,phosphorus,and potassium with cow manure),NPM(nitrogen and phosphorus with cow manure),NKM(nitrogen and potassium with cow manure),and PKM(phosphorus and potassium with cow manure)were applied to study the effects on rice yield,soil fertility,and nutrient apparent balance in a paddy field.The results showed that the annual average yields of rice in NPKM,NPM,NKM,PKM,M,NPK and CK treatments ranged from 6214 to 11562 kg ha-1.Yields under long-term organic and inorganic treatments(NPKM,NPM,NKM and PKM)were 22.58,15.35,10.53 and 4.41%,respectively,greater than under the NPK treatment.Soil organic carbon(SOC),total nitrogen(TN),available nitrogen(AN)and available potassium(AK)concentration with long-term organic and inorganic treatment(NPKM,NPM,NKM and PKM)were significantly higher than in inorganic fertilizer(NPK)treatments.Soil total phosphorus(TP)and available phosphorus(AP)contentration with organic fertilizer combined with inorganic N and P fertilizer treatment(NPKM,NPM and PKM)were significantly higher than with inorganic fertilizer alone(NPK treatments).The average annual rice yield(11562 kg ha-1),SOC(20.88 g kg-1),TN(2.30 g kg-1),TP(0.95 g kg-1),TK(22.50 g kg-1)and AP(38.94 mg kg-1)concentrations were the highest in the NPKM treatment.The soil AN concentration(152.40 mg kg-1)and AK contentration(151.00 mg kg-1)were the highest in the NKM treatment.N and P application led to a surplus of nitrogen and phosphorus in the soil,but NPKM treatment effectively reduced the surplus compared with other treatments.Soils under all treatments were deficient in potassium.Correlation analysis showed that SOC,TN,AN,TP,and AP contentration was significantly correlated with rice yield;the correlation coefficients were 0.428,0.496,0.518,0.501,and 0.438,respectively.This study showed that the combined application of N,P,and K with cow manure had important effects on rice yield and soil fertility,but balanced application of N,P,and K with cow manure was required.

Winter wheat yield improvement by genetic gain across different provinces in China

The replacement of winter wheat varieties has contributed significantly to yield improvement worldwide,with remarkable progress in China.Drawing on two sets of data,production yield from the National Bureau of Statistics of China and experimental yield from literature,this study aims to(1)illustrate the increasing patterns of production yield among different provinces from 1978 to 2018 in China,(2)explore the genetic gain in yield and yield relevant traits through the variety replacement based on experimental yield from 1937 to 2016 in China,and(3)compare the yield gap between experimental yield and production yield.The results show that both the production and experimental yields significantly increased along with the variety replacement.The national annual yield increase ratio for the production yield was 1.67%from 1978 to 2018,varying from 0.96%in Sichuan Province to 2.78%in Hebei Province;such ratio for the experimental yield was 1.13%from 1937 to 2016.The yield gap between experimental and production yields decreased from the 1970s to the 2010s.This study reveals significant increases in some yield components consequent to variety replacement,including thousand-grain weight,kernel number per spike,and grain number per square meter;however,no change is shown in spike number per square meter.The biomass and harvest index consistently and significantly increased,whereas the plant height decreased significantly.

The underlying mechanism of variety–water–nitrogen–stubble damage interactions on yield formation in ratoon rice with low stubble height under mechanized harvesting

Agronomic measures are the key to promote the sustainable development of ratoon rice by reducing the damage from mechanical crushing to the residual stubble of the main crop, thereby mitigating the impact on axillary bud sprouting and yield formation in ratoon rice. This study used widely recommended conventional rice Jiafuzhan and hybrid rice Yongyou 2640 as the test materials to conduct a four-factor block design field experiment in a greenhouse of the experimental farm of Fujian Agricultural and Forestry University, China from 2018 to 2019.The treatments included fertilization and no fertilization, alternate wetting and drying irrigation and continuous water flooding irrigation, and plots with and without artificial crushing damage on the rice stubble. At the same time, a 13C stable isotope in-situ detection technology was used to fertilize the pot experiment. The results showed significant interactions among varieties, water management, nitrogen application and stubble status.Relative to the long-term water flooding treatment, the treatment with sequential application of nitrogen fertilizer coupled with moderate field drought for root-vigor and tiller promotion before and after harvesting of the main crop, significantly improved the effective tillers from low position nodes. This in turn increased the effective panicles per plant and grains per panicle by reducing the influence of artificial crushing damage on rice stubble and achieving a high yield of the regenerated rice. Furthermore, the partitioning of 13C assimilates to the residual stubble and its axillary buds were significantly improved at the mature stage of the main crop, while the translocation rate to roots and rhizosphere soil was reduced at the later growth stage of ratooning season rice. This was triggered by the metabolism of hormones and polyamines at the stem base regulated by the interaction of water and fertilizer at this time. We therefore suggest that to achieve a high yield of ratoon rice with low stubble height under mechanized harvesting, the timely application of nitrogen fertilizer is fundamental,coupled with moderate field drying for root-vigor preservation and tiller promotion before and after the mechanical harvesting of the main crop.

Manure substitution improves maize yield by promoting soil fertility and mediating the microbial community in lime concretion black soil

Synthetic nitrogen(N)fertilizer has made a great contribution to the improvement of soil fertility and productivity,but excessive application of synthetic N fertilizer may cause agroecosystem risks,such as soil acidification,groundwater contamination and biodiversity reduction.Meanwhile,organic substitution has received increasing attention for its ecologically and environmentally friendly and productivity benefits.However,the linkages between manure substitution,crop yield and the underlying microbial mechanisms remain uncertain.To bridge this gap,a three-year field experiment was conducted with five fertilization regimes:i)Control,non-fertilization;CF,conventional synthetic fertilizer application;CF_(1/2)M_(1/2),1/2 N input via synthetic fertilizer and 1/2 N input via manure;CF_(1/4)M_(3/4),1/4 N input synthetic fertilizer and 3/4 N input via manure;M,manure application.All fertilization treatments were designed to have equal N input.Our results showed that all manure substituted treatments achieved high soil fertility indexes(SFI)and productivities by increasing the soil organic carbon(SOC),total N(TN)and available phosphorus(AP)concentrations,and by altering the bacterial community diversity and composition compared with CF.SOC,AP,and the soil C:N ratio were mainly responsible for microbial community variations.The co-occurrence network revealed that SOC and AP had strong positive associations with Rhodospirillales and Burkholderiales,while TN and C:N ratio had positive and negative associations with Micromonosporaceae,respectively.These specific taxa are implicated in soil macroelement turnover.Random Forest analysis predicted that both biotic(bacterial composition and Micromonosporaceae)and abiotic(AP,SOC,SFI,and TN)factors had significant effects on crop yield.The present work strengthens our understanding of the effects of manure substitution on crop yield and provides theoretical support for optimizing fertilization strategies.

Grain yield and N uptake of maize in response to increased plant density under reduced water and nitrogen supply conditions

The development of modern agriculture requires the reduction of water and chemical N fertilizer inputs.Increasing the planting density can maintain higher yields,but also consumes more of these restrictive resources.However,whether an increased maize density can compensate for the negative effects of reduced water and N supply on grain yield and N uptake in the arid irrigated areas remains unknown.This study is part of a long-term positioning trial that started in 2016.A split-split plot field experiment of maize was implemented in the arid irrigated area of northwestern China in 2020 to 2021.The treatments included two irrigation levels:local conventional irrigation reduced by 20%(W1,3,240 m^(3)ha^(-1))and local conventional irrigation(W2,4,050 m^(3)ha^(-1));two N application rates:local conventional N reduced by 25%(N1,270 kg ha^(-1))and local conventional N(360 kg ha^(-1));and three planting densities:local conventional density(D1,75,000 plants ha^(-1)),density increased by 30%(D2,97,500 plants ha-1),and density increased by 60%(D3,120,000 plants ha^(-1)).Our results showed that the grain yield and aboveground N accumulation of maize were lower under the reduced water and N inputs,but increasing the maize density by 30% can compensate for the reductions of grain yield and aboveground N accumulation caused by the reduced water and N supply.When water was reduced while the N application rate remained unchanged,increasing the planting density by 30% enhanced grain yield by 13.9% and aboveground N accumulation by 15.3%.Under reduced water and N inputs,increasing the maize density by 30% enhanced N uptake efficiency and N partial factor productivity,and it also compensated for the N harvest index and N metabolic related enzyme activities.Compared with W2N2D1,the N uptake efficiency and N partial factor productivity increased by 28.6 and 17.6%under W1N1D2.W1N2D2 had 8.4% higher N uptake efficiency and 13.9% higher N partial factor productivity than W2N2D1.W1N2D2 improved urease activity and nitrate reductase activity by 5.4% at the R2(blister)stage and 19.6% at the V6(6th leaf)stage,and increased net income and the benefit:cost ratio by 22.1 and 16.7%,respectively.W1N1D2 and W1N2D2 reduced the nitrate nitrogen and ammoniacal nitrogen contents at the R6 stage in the 40-100 cm soil layer,compared with W2N2D1.In summary,increasing the planting density by 30% can compensate for the loss of grain yield and aboveground N accumulation under reduced water and N inputs.Meanwhile,increasing the maize density by 30% improved grain yield and aboveground N accumulation when water was reduced by 20% while the N application rate remained constant in arid irrigation areas.

Effect of Inorganic and Organic Fertilizers on Growth and Yield of Two Industrial Potato Varieties (Asterix and Courage) in Bangladesh

Potato is one of the most important vegetable crops, which contributes more than half of the total vegetable production in Bangladesh. Four field experiments were conducted in two different locations in Bangladesh to develop integrated nutrient management practices to produce quality potato seed in industrial processing varieties Asterix and Courage. For the inorganic trial, Factorial Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) including 2 potato varieties, 5 treatments with 4 replications, and in the organic fertilizer trial, Factorial RCBD including 2 potato varieties, 6 treatments with 4 replications were used. In the inorganic fertilizer trail, the highest yield was obtained in the variety Asterix due to Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium, and Sulfur (NPKS) plus Magnesium treated plot in Domar BADC farm and due to NPKS plus Boron, Zinc, and Magnesium treated plots in Kashimpur Farm. In the case of variety Courage, the highest yield was found in the treatment of NPKS plus Zinc in Domar BADC farm while in Kashimpur farm, NPKS plus Mg treated plots had the highest yield of potato variety-Courage. In the organic fertilizer trail, the highest tuber yield per hill was obtained by applying the government-approved commercial brand Northern organic fertilizer in variety Asterix and by organic fertilizer brand Chook Chook in variety Courage. Parameters such as days to tuber initiation, number of stems per hill, plant height, and number of tubers per hill were found statistically different among the treatments and between the two varieties. Treatments namely Northern organic fertilizer and Cowdung combined with mustard oil cake performed better considering standard grade tuber yield (grade A and B) compared to other treatments. Hence, the combination of NPKS MgZn and either Northern organic or Chook Chook or Cowdung plus mustard oil cake could be used to grow the varieties Asterix and Courage.

Effect of Planting Date on Yield and Yield Components of Grain Sorghum Hybrids

In Kansas, productivity of grain sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] is affected by weather conditions at planting and during pollination. Planting date management and selection of hybrid maturity group can help to avoid severe environmental stresses during these sensitive stages. The hypothesis of the study was that late May planting improves grain sorghum yield and yield components compared with late June planting. The objectives of this research were to investigate the influence of planting dates yield and yield components of different grain sorghum hybrids, and to determine the optimal planting date and hybrid combination for maximum biomass and grains production. Three sorghum hybrids (early, medium, and late maturing) were planted in late May and late June without irrigation in Kansas at Manhattan/Ashland Bottom Research Station, and Hutchinson in 2010;and at Manhattan/North Farm and Hutchinson in 2011. Data on dry matter production, yield and yield components were collected. Grain yield and yield components were influenced by planting date depending on environmental conditions. At Manhattan (2010), greater grain yield, number of heads per plant, were obtained with late-June planting compared with late May planting, while at Hutchinson (2010) greater yield was obtained with late May planting for all hybrids. The yield component most affected at Hutchinson was the number of kernels∙panicle−1 and plant density. Late-May planting was favorable for late maturing hybrid (P84G62) in all locations. However, the yield of early maturing hybrid (DKS 28-05) and medium maturing hybrid (DKS 37-07) was less affected by delayed planting. The effects of planting dates on yield and yield components of grain sorghum hybrids were found to be variable among hybrid maturity groups and locations.

Salinity Stress Deteriorates Grain Yield and Increases 2-Acetyl-1-Pyrroline Content in Rice

Salinity stress greatly impacts rice grain yield and quality, as well as the 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline(2-AP) content in grains. The present study was conducted with Nanjing 9108(NJ9108, conventional japonica rice) and Wenliangyou 669(WLY669, indica hybrid rice) in the fields with non-salinity(NS), low salinity(LS), and high salinity(HS) stresses in 2021 and 2022.

Effect of Different Mulch Materials on Yield and Nutrition Profile of Common Capsicum (Capsicum annuum) Cultivars in Bangladesh

Capsicum is a nutritious vegetable and its cultivation in farms is getting popular in Bangladesh. Although many efforts have lain to explore better yielding and nutritionally rich cultivars with suitable modern cultivation techniques but still have to find the desired outcome. Thus, it’s necessary to conduct further research to identify the high-yielding and nutritious capsicum cultivars in Bangladesh. An experiment was conducted from July 2021 to June 2022 at the Bangladesh Institute of Research and Training on Applied Nutrition (BIRTAN) research field with three cultivars of capsicum: B0 = California Wonder, B1 = BARI Misti Morich-1 and B2 = BARI Misti Morich-2 and three mulching: T0 = No mulching, T1 = Water hyacinth, T2 = Poly Mulching in randomized complete block design with three replications to identify better quality capsicum cultivar and suitable mulching material. Among cultivars the BARI Misti Morich-2 (B2) showed increased agronomic parameters like number of branches and effective branches per plant, leaves length and width, consequently yield and yield contributing traits were also enhanced like fruits per plant, fruit length, fruit diameter and yield per plant (25.97%, 4.54%, 3.64% and 21.43%, respectively). Poly Mulching (T2) increased agronomic traits, yield traits and yield (0.61 kg) than BARI Misti Morich-1 (T1). The combined effect of B2T2 increased the number of branches per plant, effective branches per plant, leaves length and breadth by 40%, 90%, 15.57% and 26.22%, respectively, hence resulting in an increased yield of 20%. BARI Misti Morich-2 cultivar showed an increase in Fe, Zn and Vitamin-C content of 26.24% and 23.10%, 8.82% and 5.14%, and 6.03% and 5.74% than B0 and B1 cultivars, respectively. Therefore, BARI Misti Morich-2 exhibited the improved agronomic, yield and nutritional traits of capsicum under poly mulching among other cultivars in Bangladesh.

Genetic and Agronomic Parameter Estimates of Growth, Yield and Related Traits of Maize (Zea mays L.) under Different Rates of Nitrogen Fertilization

This study evaluated the genetic and agronomic parameter estimates of maize under different nitrogen rates. The trial was established at the Njala Agricultural Research Centre experimental site during 2021 and 2022 in a split block design with three maize varieties (IWCD2, 2009EVDT, and DMR-ESR-Yellow) and seven nitrogen (0, 30, 60, 90, 120, 150 and 180 kg∙N∙ha−1) rates. Findings showed that cob diameter and anthesis silking time (ASI) had intermediate heritability, ASI had high genetic advance, ASI and grain yield had high genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV), while traits with high phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) were plant height, ASI, grain yield, number of kernel per cob, number of kernel rows, ear length, and ear height. The PCV values were higher than GCV, indicating the influence of the environment in the studied traits. Nitrogen rates and variety significantly (p < 0.05) influenced grain yield production. Mean grain yields and economic parameter estimates increased with increasing nitrogen rates, with the 30 and 180 kg∙N∙ha−1 plots exhibiting the lowest and highest grain yields of 1238 kg∙ha−1 and 2098 kg∙ha−1, respectively. Variety and nitrogen effects on partial factor productivity (PFPN), agronomic efficiency (AEN), net returns (NR), value cost ratio (VCR) and marginal return (MR) indicated that these parameters were significantly affected (p < 0.05) by these factors. The highest PFPN (41.3 kg grain kg−1∙N) and AEN (29.4 kg grain kg−1∙N) were obtained in the 30 kg∙N∙ha−1 plots, while the highest VCR (2.8) and MR (SLL 1.8 SLL−1 spent on N) were obtained in the 180 kg∙N∙ha−1. The significant influence of variety and nitrogen on traits suggests that increasing yields and maximizing profits require use of appropriate nitrogen fertilization and improved farming practices that could be exploited for increased productivity of maize.

J-family genes redundantly regulate flowering time and increase yield in soybean

Soybean(Glycine max)is a short-day crop whose flowering time is regulated by photoperiod.The longjuvenile trait extends its vegetative phase and increases yield under short-day conditions.Natural variation in J,the major locus controlling this trait,modulates flowering time.We report that the three J-family genes influence soybean flowering time,with the triple mutant Guangzhou Mammoth-2 flowering late under short days by inhibiting transcription of E1-family genes.J-family genes offer promising allelic combinations for breeding.

Magnesium fertilizer application increases peanut growth and pod yield under reduced nitrogen application in southern China

This study investigated the effect of magnesium application on peanut growth and yield under two nitrogen(N)application rates in acidic soil in southern China.The chlorophyll content,net photosynthetic rate and dry matter accumulation of the N-sensitive cultivar decreased under reduced N treatments,whereas no effect was observed on the relevant indicators in the N-insensitive variety GH1026.Mg application increased the net photosynthetic rate by increasing the expression of genes involved in chlorophyll synthesis and Rubisco activity in the leaves during the pegging stage under 50%N treatment,while no effect on the net photosynthetic rate was observed under the 100%N treatment.The rate of dry matter accumulation at the early growth stage,total dry matter accumulation and pod yield at harvest increased after Mg application under 50%N treatment by increasing the transportation of assimilates from stems and leaves to pods in both peanut varieties,whereas no effect was found under 100%N treatment.Moreover,Mg application increased the NUE under 50%N treatment.No improvement of NUE in either peanut variety was found under 100%N treatment,while Mg application under the 50%N treatment can obtain a higher economic benefit than the 100%N treatment.In acidic soil,application of 307.5 kg ha^(-1)of Mg sulfate fertilizer under 50%reduced nitrogen application is a suitable fertilizer management measure for improving carbon assimilation,NUE and achieve high peanut yields in southern China.

Long-Term Performance and Microstructural Characterization of Dam Concrete in the Three Gorges Project

This study investigates the long-term performance of laboratory dam concrete in different curing environments over ten years and the microstructure of 17-year-old laboratory concrete and actual concrete cores drilled from the Three Gorges Dam.The mechanical properties of the laboratory dam concrete,whether cured in natural or standard environments,continued to improve over time.Furthermore,the laboratory dam concrete exhibited good resistance to diffusion and a refined microstructure after 17 years.However,curing and long-term exposure to the local natural environment reduced the frost resistance.Microstructural analyses of the laboratory concrete samples demonstrated that moderate-heat cement and fine fly ash(FA)particles were almost fully hydrated to form compact micro structures consisting of large quantities of homogeneous calcium(alumino)silicate hydrate(C-(A)-S-H)gels and a few crystals.No obvious interfacial transition zones were observed in the microstructure owing to the longterm pozzolanic reaction.This dense and homogenous microstructure was the crucial reason for the excellent long-term performance of the dam concrete.A high FA volume also played a significant role in the microstructural densification and performance growth of dam concrete at a later age.The concrete drilled from the dam surface exhibited a loose microstructure with higher microporosity,indicating that concrete directly exposed to the actual service environment suffered degradation caused by water and wind attacks.In this study,both macro-performance and microstructural analyses revealed that the application of moderate-heat cement and FA resulted in a dense and homogenous microstructure,which ensured the excellent long-term performance of concrete from the Three Gorges Dam after 17 years.Long-term exposure to an actual service environment may lead to microstructural degradation of the concrete surface.Therefore,the retained long-term dam concrete samples need to be further researched to better understand its microstructural evolution and development of its properties.

Long-term thinning decreases the contribution of heterotrophic respiration to soil respiration in subalpine plantations

Interest in the dynamics of soil respiration(R_(S))in subalpine forest ecosystems is increasing due to their high soil carbon density and potential sensitivity to environmental changes.However,as a principal silvicultural practice,the long-term impacts of thinning on R_(S) and its heterotrophic and autotrophic respiration components(R_(h) and Ra,respectively)in subalpine plantations are poorly understood,espe-cially in winter.A 3-year field observation was carried out with consideration of winter CO_(2) efflux in middle-aged sub-alpine spruce plantations in northwestern China.A trench-ing method was used to explore the long-term impacts of thinning on Rs,Rn and R_(a).Seventeen years after thinning,mean annual Rs,Rn and R_(a) increased,while the contribu-tion of R_(h) to R_(s) decreased with thinning intensity.Thinning significantly decreased winter R,because of the reduction in R_(n) but had no significant effect on Ra.The temperature sensitivity(Q_(10))of R_(h) and R_(a) also increased with thinning intensity,with lower Q_(10) values for R_(h)(2.1-2.6)than for Ra(2.4-2.8).The results revealed the explanatory variables and pathways related to R_(n) and R_(a) dynamics.Thinning increased soil moisture and nitrate nitrogen(NO_(3)^(-)-N),and the enhanced nitrogen and water availability promoted R_(h) and R_(a) by improving fine root biomass and microbial activity.Our results highlight the positive roles of NO_(3)^(-)-N in stimulating R_(s) components following long-term thinning.Therefore,applications of nitrogen fertilizer are not recommended while thinning subalpine spruce plantations from the perspective of reducing soil CO_(2) emissions.The increased Q_(10) values of R_(s) components indicate that a large increase in soil CO_(2) emissions would be expected following thinning because of more pronounced climate warming in alpineregions.

Soil bacterial and fungal communities resilience to long-term nitrogen addition in subtropical forests in China

Atmospheric nitrogen(N)deposition is predicted to increase,especially in the subtropics.However,the responses of soil microorganisms to long-term N addition at the molecular level in N-rich subtropical forests have not been clarified.A long-term nutrient addition experiment was conducted in a subtropical evergreen old-growth forest in China.The four treatments were:control,low N(50 kg N ha^(-1)a^(-1)),high N(100 kg N ha^(-1)a^(-1)),and combined N and phosphorus(P)(100 kg N ha^(-1)a^(-1)+50 kg P ha^(-1)a^(-1)).Metagenomic sequencing characterized diversity and composition of soil microbial communities and used to construct bacterial/fungal co-occurrence networks.Nutrient-treated soils were more acidic and had higher levels of dissolved organic carbon than controls.There were no significant differences in microbial diversity and community composition across treatments.The addition of nutrients increased the abundance of copiotrophic bacteria and potentially beneficial microorganisms(e.g.,Gemmatimonadetes,Chaetomium,and Aureobasidium).Low N addition increased microbiome network connectivity.Three rare fungi were identified as module hubs under nutrient addition,indicating that low abundance fungi were more sensitive to increased nutrients.The results indicate that the overall composition of microbial communities was stable but not static to long-term N addition.Our findings provide new insights that can aid predictions of the response of soil microbial communities to long-term N addition.

Estimating the yield stress of soft materials via laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

Taking three typical soft samples prepared respectively by loose packings of 77-,95-,and 109-μm copper grains as examples,we perform an experiment to investigate the energy-dependent laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy(LIBS)of soft materials.We discovered a reversal phenomenon in the trend of energy dependence of plasma emission intensity:increasing initially and then decreasing separated by a well-defined critical energy.The trend reversal is attributed to the laser-induced recoil pressure at the critical energy just matching the sample's yield strength.As a result,a one-to-one correspondence can be well established between the samples'yield stress and the critical energy that is easily obtainable from LIBS measurements.This allows us to propose an innovative method for estimating the yield stress of soft materials via LIBS with attractive advantages including in-situ remote detection,real-time data collection,and minimal destructive to sample.

Effect of Variety and Plant Spacing on Growth and Yield of Groundnuts (Arachis hypogaea L.)

A field experiment was carried out to determine the effect of variety and plant spacing on yield and growth of groundnuts. The field experiment was laid in a 3 × 3 factorial experiment in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three (3) replications. The factor A included three (3) groundnut varieties (Nkatie Sari, Sum Nutt 22 and Yenyawoso) and Factor B was the three (3) spacing of 30 cm × 15 cm, 30 cm × 30 cm and 30 cm × 40 cm. All recommended agronomic practices were followed. Data was collected from eight (8) tagged plants. Growth data were recorded on plant height, number of branches, number of leaves, and the number of flowers while yield data were collected on the number of flowers, number of pods per plant, 100 seeds weight and the pod yield (kg/ha). The plant spacing significantly influenced (P < 0.05) the growth and yield parameters. Groundnut grown at a spacing of 30 cm × 15 cm produced the maximum plant height, whereas the maximum number of leaves, number of branches and number of flowers were produced from 30 cm × 40 cm. Yenyawoso variety with a wider plant spacing performed better vegetatively among all the varieties. The Yenyawoso variety produced the highest number of pods, 100 seeds weight and pod yield as compared to the other varieties. Also, Yenyawoso at 30 cm × 40 cm spacing and Nkatie Sari at 30 cm × 15 cm spacing produced the maximum pod yield.

Clinical manifestations,diagnosis and long-term prognosis of adult autoimmune enteropathy:Experience from Peking Union Medical College Hospital

BACKGROUND Autoimmune enteropathy(AIE)is a rare disease whose diagnosis and long-term prognosis remain challenging,especially for adult AIE patients.AIM To improve overall understanding of this disease’s diagnosis and prognosis.METHODS We retrospectively analyzed the clinical,endoscopic and histopathological characteristics and prognoses of 16 adult AIE patients in our tertiary medical center between 2011 and 2023,whose diagnosis was based on the 2007 diagnostic criteria.RESULTS Diarrhea in AIE patients was characterized by secretory diarrhea.The common endoscopic manifestations were edema,villous blunting and mucosal hyperemia in the duodenum and ileum.Villous blunting(100%),deep crypt lymphocytic infiltration(67%),apoptotic bodies(50%),and mild intraepithelial lymphocytosis(69%)were observed in the duodenal biopsies.Moreover,there were other remarkable abnormalities,including reduced or absent goblet cells(duodenum 94%,ileum 62%),reduced or absent Paneth cells(duodenum 94%,ileum 69%)and neutrophil infiltration(duodenum 100%,ileum 69%).Our patients also fulfilled the 2018 diagnostic criteria but did not match the 2022 diagnostic criteria due to undetectable anti-enterocyte antibodies.All patients received glucocorticoid therapy as the initial medication,of which 14/16 patients achieved a clinical response in 5(IQR:3-20)days.Immunosuppressants were administered to 9 patients with indications of steroid dependence(6/9),steroid refractory status(2/9),or intensified maintenance medication(1/9).During the median of 20.5 months of followup,2 patients died from multiple organ failure,and 1 was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.The cumulative relapse-free survival rates were 62.5%,55.6%and 37.0%at 6 months,12 months and 48 months,respectively.CONCLUSION Certain histopathological findings,including a decrease or disappearance of goblet and Paneth cells in intestinal biopsies,might be potential diagnostic criteria for adult AIE.The long-term prognosis is still unsatisfactory despite corticosteroid and immunosuppressant medications,which highlights the need for early diagnosis and novel medications.

Straw return increases crop production by improving soil organic carbon sequestration and soil aggregation in a long-term wheat-cotton cropping system

Straw return is a promising strategy for managing soil organic carbon(SOC)and improving yield stability.However,the optimal straw return strategy for sustainable crop production in the wheat(Triticum aestivum L.)-cotton(Gossypium hirsutum L.)cropping system remains uncertain.The objective of this study was to quantify the long-term(10 years)impact of carbon(C)input on SOC sequestration,soil aggregation and crop yields in a wheat-cotton cropping system in the Yangtze River Valley,China.Five treatments were arranged with a single-factor randomized design as follows:no straw return(Control),return of wheat straw only(Wt),return of cotton straw only(Ct),return of 50%wheat and 50%cotton straw(Wh-Ch)and return of 100%wheat and 100%cotton straw(Wt-Ct).In comparison to the Control,the SOC content increased by 8.4 to 20.2%under straw return.A significant linear positive correlation between SOC sequestration and C input(1.42-7.19 Mg ha^(−1)yr^(−1))(P<0.05)was detected.The percentages of aggregates of sizes>2 and 1-2 mm at the 0-20 cm soil depth were also significantly elevated under straw return,with the greatest increase of the aggregate stability in the Wt-Ct treatment(28.1%).The average wheat yields increased by 12.4-36.0%and cotton yields increased by 29.4-73.7%,and significantly linear positive correlations were also detected between C input and the yields of wheat and cotton.The average sustainable yield index(SYI)reached a maximum value of 0.69 when the C input was 7.08 Mg ha^(−1)yr^(−1),which was close to the maximum value(SYI of 0.69,C input of 7.19 Mg ha^(−1)yr^(-1))in the Wt-Ct treatment.Overall,the return of both wheat and cotton straw was the best strategy for improving SOC sequestration,soil aggregation,yields and their sustainability in the wheat-cotton rotation system.

Molecular Mechanism of Rice Necrotic Lesion for Optimized Yield and Disease Resistance

How to balance rice resistance and yield is an important issue in rice breeding.Plants with mutated necrotic lesion genes often have persistent broad-spectrum resistance,but this broad-spectrum resistance usually comes at the expense of yield.Currently,many necrotic lesion mutants in rice have been identified,and these genes are involved in disease resistance pathways.This review provides a detailed introduction to the characteristics,classification,and molecular mechanisms of necrotic lesion formation.Additionally,we review the molecular regulatory pathways of genes involved in rice disease resistance.Concurrently,we summarize the relationship between resistance and yield in rice using newly developed gene editing methods.We discuss a rational and precise breeding strategy to better utilize molecular design technology for breeding disease-resistant and high-yield rice varieties.